Travel Guide to Santo Domingo

Santo Domingo: the Caribbean Eden

Santo Domingo, an elite destination in the Caribbean, with a beautiful historical centre and stunning beaches, provides the backdrop to the laidback lifestyle of the naturally cheerful Dominicans.

A quintessential destination for sun and beaches, this Garden of Eden is sure to make you move to the catchy, swaying rhythms of bachata, a music and dance that originated here. The city cultivates an irresistible lifestyle in the sun, accented by the fragrance of exotic amber rum and coffee. In 1492, the island of Hispaniola, mysterious and untamed, made an impression on Columbus during his stopover here on his quest for gold. He chose this spot to become the cradle of the New World. Tourism has boomed here since the beginning of the 21st century, with resorts in Punta Cana, Bayahibe, Bavaro, and elsewhere along the white sands of the east coast, but this beautiful island in the tropics has been able to defend its historical identity, as well. Santo Domingo is hidden behind thick walls and has a colonial centre full of rich historical references, such as Spanish Renaissance monasteries, museums, and palaces.
This green paradise has a rich environmental heritage, as well, and fights with vigilance to preserve the lush forests, national parks, and ecosystems that are admired as the ultimate reference of paradise lost. You can still find vast areas of wild beauty and nature sanctuaries of all types. Anchored on a coral reef, the heavenly beaches you will find here are lined with palms waving their fronds at the turquoise horizon. In the province of Samana, the enchanting Rincon has continued for years to be counted among the top ten most beautiful beaches in the world.
Inland, rural areas fulfil an agricultural destiny, simple and rough around the edges, but still cheerful. Made languid by the warmth of the trade winds, shacks brushed with Caribbean pastels coexist with centuries-old coffee plantations dotting the hills. One still lives here as in the 19th century, without water or electricity, waiting for the benefits of fair-trade efforts. Unpredictable and captivating, and a delightful oasis for stressed urban dwellers, Santo Domingo symbolises the ultimate stop, where your secret dreams of conquest and adventure can take refuge.

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